Kirstie Alley s Cheers family and other former co-stars paid tribute to the late actor this week after she died on Monday at age 71.

I was on a plane today and did something I rarely do, Ted Danson, who played Sam Malone on the classic TV sitcom, told People . I watched an old episode of Cheers. It was the episode where Tom Berenger proposes to Kirstie, who keeps saying no even though she desperately wants to say yes.

As I got off the plane, I heard that Kirstie had died, the 74-year-old added. I am so sad and so grateful for all the times she made me laugh. I send my love to her children. As they well know, their mother had a heart of gold. I will miss her.

Danson was joined by fellow Cheers alums Rhea Perlman and Kelsey Grammer , who respectively played Carla Tortelli and Dr. Frasier Crane. Grammer told People grief for a public figure is a private matter, but did say that he loved her.

Perlman said Alleys joy of being was boundless.

We became friends almost instantly when she joined the cast of Cheers, Perlman continued. She loved kids and my kids loved her, too. We had sleepovers at her house, with treasure hunts that she created. Im going to miss her very, very much.